Lighting touch



@at 4, i949.A F. R. RlzER v LIGHTING TORCH Filed dan. so, 194s F/oya I' R.

A for/veg 5 Patented Oct. 4, 1949 UNITED STATES l TENT lOFFICE This invention relates to improvements in pyrophoric or self-igniting lighters and more particularly to a lighter. in the form of a torch for lighting oil burners, furnaces, and similar devices, and is an improvement on the lighting torch disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 732,211, led March 4, 1947, for Lighting torc issued as Patent No. 2,448,622, on September 7, 1948.

It is among the objects f the present invention to provide an improved, self-igniting, lighting torch which is small in size, light in weight Aand of economical construction, and has `a length suficient for convenient use as a torch for lighting fuel burners in furnaces and under boilers and for similar purposes, which is operated entirely from the end thereof opposite the ignitible end, and may be ignited and extinguished by the same operating means, which is ignitible after being placed in lighting position, may be extinguished upon removal from such position, and is tightly sealed when extinguished so as to occasion no fire hazard or endanger any inflammable material in or near the place of use, and which comprises a minimum number of simple par-ts and is neat and attractive in appearance.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

.Figure l is a longitudinal cross-section of a lighting torch illustrative of the invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal elevation of the lighting torch shown in Figure l, showing the parts thereof in a different operative position from that illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal cross-section of the left-hand end portion of the inner tubular member of the torch as viewed in Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is an end elevation of the torch looking at the left-hand end thereof, as illustrated vin Figures 1 and 2.

With continued reference to the drawing, the improved torch generally comprises an outer tubular member I0, an inner tubular member II, a cap I2, a knob I3 and a flint carrier I4.

The outer tubular member I@ is a straight tubular section of suitable material, such as aluminum, and is of a length sufficient to provide a convenient handle for the torch so that the torch may be inserted through the door of a furnace to ignite a fuel burner within the furnace, to ignite a fuel burner positioned under a boiler, and for similar purposes. This outer tubular member Il) is provided adjacent one end with an aperture I5 into which is threaded one end of the tubular, cylindrical flint carrier I4. The flint I6 is carried in the inner end portion of the carrier and is preferably urged inwardly by a suitable spring I'I.

The inner tubular member II comprises a tubular portion I8, which is approximately the same length as the outer tubular member IIJ, and may also be formed of aluminum or other suitable material, and a tubular` extension I9 secured to the end of the portion I8 atl the end of the outer tubular member provided with the flint carrier I4. This extension I9 is preferably made of a suitable hard material, such as a hard steel alloy, and is provided with a knurled or otherwise roughened outer surface and with a plurality of apertures 20.

The interior of the portion I8 of the inner tubular memberl and of theV extension I9 constitutes a fuel reservoir and may be iilled with a suitable absorbent material 2l, such as absorbent cotton. Suitable wicks 22 are disposed in the interior of the innertubular member and have their end portions extended through respective apertures 2i) to the exterior of the extension portion I9.

The cap I2 has a hollow, dome-shaped portion 23 from the open end of which extends an annular ange 24 of-vreduced diameter which is provided with internal screwthreads engageable with external screw threads provided upon the outer end of the extension I9 and with an annular external shoulder 25. Cap I2 is screw-threaded on to the outer end of extension I9 to provide an end closure therefor and is removable when it is desired to replenish the fuel in the lighter reservoir. The cap flange 24 fits closely into the corresponding end of the outer tubular member I0 and the annular shoulder 25 provides a limit stop or abutment for this -end of the outer tubular member. When the outer tubular member is moved to a position in which its adjacent end contacts the shoulder 25, it completely covers the apertured portion of the extension-I9 and the projecting ends of the wicks'22 and the flange 24 forms a seal with the corresponding end of the outer tubular member so that the ignitible portion of the lighter isk completely inclosed and sealed. If the outer tubular member or tubular handle is moved into engagement with the shoulder 25 when the wicks 22 are lighted the wicks will be immediately extinguished and cannot be ignited as long as the outer tubular member is in this position relative to the inner tubular member. This position of the outer tubular member relative to the inner tubular member is clearly illustrated in Figure 2.

The knob I3 has an annular flange portion 26 slightly greater in diameter than the outside diameter of the outer tubular member IIJ and terminates inwardly in an annular shoulder 21 with which the adjacent end of the outer tubular member il) contacts to limit movement of the outer tubular member relative to the inner tubular member in the corresponding direction. The knob is provided with an internally screwthreaded recess which receives the corresponding, externally screw-threaded end of inner tubular member i8 and has a rounded convex face 28 for engagement by one hand of a person operating the torch, the tubular handle I being held in the other hand of such person.

The operation of the device is substantially as follows:

Considering the torch to be in the condition illustrated in Figure 2, the outer tubular member or handle l0 is held by the operator in one hand and the left-hand end portion of the torch, as illustrated, is moved to the desired operative position. The knob I3 is then forced sharply inward of the adjacent end of the handle. This forces the inner tubular member II through the outer tubular member I0 and forces the extension I9 out of the outer tubular member. At the same time the roughened outer surface of the extension I9 will be forced past the inner end of flint I creating sparks which will ignite the Wicks 2B. The wicks then provide sufficient flame to ignite the oil burner or other device. After the burner has been ignited the: knob I3 is pulled away from the adjacent end of handle I Il pulling extension I9 back into the adjacent end of the tubular handle thereby extinguishing the flame of the wick 22 and causing the cap ange 24 to enter the corresponding end of the outer tubular member and seal the ignitible end of the torch, the movement being limited by contact of the cap shoulder 25 with the adjacent end of the tubular handle. The torch may then be moved to any other desired location without danger of igniting or scorching any other inammable material in the neighborhood.

Relative movement of the inner tubular member through the outer tubular member to project the extension I9 is limited by shoulder 21 on knob I3 so that the shoulders 25 and 2`I provide 0pposed limit stops limiting relative movement between the outer and inner tubular members of the torch.

The two tubular members I Il and II may be made of comparatively small diameter, a torch made of tubing of approximately one-quarter inch outside diameter for the inner tubular member having been found to operate satisfactorily, and all parts of the torch except the rlint and the flint striker or tubular extension I9 may be formed of a suitable non-corrosive, light weight material, such as aluminum or aluminum alloy, to provide a small torch of extremely light weight which is particularly convenient to use. The flint I and spring I'! are retained in the hollow flint carrier I4 so that the flint may be renewed whenever necessary by unscrewing the carrier from the outer tubular member and the inner tubular member may be rotated relative to the outer tubular member so that the wear of the flint on the roughened surface of the extension is equalized over the entire area of the outer surface of the extension thereby providing a torch of extremely long life.

The invention may be embodied in other specic forms Without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claim rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claim are, therefore, intended to be embraced therein.

' What is claimed is:

A self-igniting lighting torch comprising an elongated inner tubular member of substantially uniform diameter throughout its length, an outer tubular member shorter than said inner tubular member surrounding said inner tubular member and longitudinally slidable thereon, a tubular extension on one end of said inner tubular member, said extension being of substantially the same diameter as said inner tubular member and having a roughened external surface and apertures therein, a cap screw threaded onto the outer end of said tubular extension and having an annular flange receivable in the corresponding end of said outer tubular member, an annular shoulder on said cap abutting the corresponding end of said outer tubular member when said outer tubular member is in torch extinguishing position, said shoulder providing a limit stop for relative movement of said inner and outer tubular members one direction, absorbent material and wicks in said inner tubular member, said wicks having their ends extended through the apertures in said tubular extension whereby said inner tubular member constitutes a fuel reservoir for said lighter, a tubular ilint holder carried by said outer tubular member near the end of the latter adjacent said cap, a iiint carried in said flint holder and operatively engageable with the roughened surface of said tubular extension to ignite said wicks upon movement of said outer tubular member away from said cap, and a knob screw-threaded onto the end of said inner tubular member opposite said tubular extension and having an annular shoulder engageable with the adjacent end of said outer tubular member to limit relative movement between said inner and outer tubular members in the corresponding direction.

FLOYD R. RIZER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the rile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

